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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rjlockhart on January 8, 2006, at 21:15:42
Well i have compared the benzodiazepines compared to there effects
First about effects on mood
5. Clonazepam (Klonopin)- dulls out worries, but can cause depression, through my experience. Does prevent panic attacks, and is good for sleep at night for "dulling out" worries. But can cause depression, it is a "dulling" drug, at moderate doses, i have had bad depression with this one.
4. Ativan (Lorazepam) - eases tension and some mental worries, not as potent as clonazepam. Does not have "strength" of it. It is a mellow benzo, through my experience, it helps more with stress.
3. Valium (diazepam) - never taken this med, but through what ive read through posts, it eases anxiety, not panic exactly, but more just "ease" can have postive effect on mood if stressed out from the day.
2. Temazepam (Restoril) - this medication can present hypnotic effects with sedation, a slight drunk like effect but, opens you up. I have taken Temazepam at social events and it incredibly makes me just talk, and feel ok. Can produce Euphoria, but mild.
1. Xanax (Alprazolam)- never taken this medication, but reading reports, eases panic and anxiety to the wall. Yes definly from what i've read, it can produce a euphoria. Very good for socual phobia, but addiction is a road hump.
Thats it.
If you want to discuss.... FYI
Matt
Posted by valene on January 9, 2006, at 10:27:20
In reply to The Benzo Spectrum, posted by rjlockhart on January 8, 2006, at 21:15:42
Hi Matt,
I have never taken Klonopin for the exact symptom you mention first, *depression*
I tried taking valium to get me off xanax and ended up lowering my dose quite a bit but the valium caused me severe depression and I was a basket case on the lower dose.
Xanax, well it has been with me for several years and I have tapered to half my dose which is now considered quite a small amount - 1.5mg. It does help my anxiety but I do not notice any mood-lifting qualities for me anyway.
I have a brief experience with ativan before xanax and found it similar to xanax but perhaps not as potent.
Just my experience.
> Well i have compared the benzodiazepines compared to there effects
>
> First about effects on mood
>
> 5. Clonazepam (Klonopin)- dulls out worries, but can cause depression, through my experience. Does prevent panic attacks, and is good for sleep at night for "dulling out" worries. But can cause depression, it is a "dulling" drug, at moderate doses, i have had bad depression with this one.
>
> 4. Ativan (Lorazepam) - eases tension and some mental worries, not as potent as clonazepam. Does not have "strength" of it. It is a mellow benzo, through my experience, it helps more with stress.
>
> 3. Valium (diazepam) - never taken this med, but through what ive read through posts, it eases anxiety, not panic exactly, but more just "ease" can have postive effect on mood if stressed out from the day.
>
> 2. Temazepam (Restoril) - this medication can present hypnotic effects with sedation, a slight drunk like effect but, opens you up. I have taken Temazepam at social events and it incredibly makes me just talk, and feel ok. Can produce Euphoria, but mild.
>
> 1. Xanax (Alprazolam)- never taken this medication, but reading reports, eases panic and anxiety to the wall. Yes definly from what i've read, it can produce a euphoria. Very good for socual phobia, but addiction is a road hump.
>
> Thats it.
>
> If you want to discuss.... FYI
>
> Matt
Posted by blueberry on January 9, 2006, at 18:08:51
In reply to The Benzo Spectrum, posted by rjlockhart on January 8, 2006, at 21:15:42
I've only tried xanax. Last year I had to go to a convention with 100s of people. Scary for me. My doc gave me xanax. I keep notes every day on how I feel and how I react to meds and doses. My notes on xanax were..."There was nothing about xanax that I did not like". It was a life saver for me. Socially comfortable, able to mingle, a sense of tranquility and confidence, and oddly a boost in motivation and interest.
Never took xanax again after that convention. But I just had to go to another one, an even bigger one, crowds, tons of people, closed in spaces, they all seem so happy and bubbly, and I'm so fearful and shy. Well again, my notes were "There was nothing about xanax that I did not like".
Funny though...1/4mg is somewhat motivating and creates interest and pleasure in things, while 1/2mg is somewhat dulling and kills any motivation of interest. Xanax works completely different at low doses, where I like it. I took 1/4mg about every 4 or 5 hours and it was great.
Posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 19:02:39
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum, posted by blueberry on January 9, 2006, at 18:08:51
Matt xanax is also supposed to have a slight antidepressant action. Fondly Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 19:05:55
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum, posted by valene on January 9, 2006, at 10:27:20
Valens, valium caused you depression can you explain as I've been on it recently for the past year. In the 70's I took it and it just relieved panic attacks but you have me wondering now about depression. Since I've been on a benzo for so many years. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by valene on January 9, 2006, at 21:44:53
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum » valene, posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 19:05:55
Hi Phillipa,
I tried the valium due to its long half-life, so that I could begin tapering off xanax, but I could not hack the valium. It caused me to become very depressed. I know other people who had similar experiences.I ended up going back to xanax. I can go almost a whole day between doses of xanax and used to take it every 24 hours, but now I take .5mg. 3x a day. It does not cause the awful depression.
I hope this helps.
Valene
> Valens, valium caused you depression can you explain as I've been on it recently for the past year. In the 70's I took it and it just relieved panic attacks but you have me wondering now about depression. Since I've been on a benzo for so many years. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 22:31:31
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum-Phillipa, posted by valene on January 9, 2006, at 21:44:53
Valene that's very interesting. I took ativan up to 6mg at one time with luvox and found it very relaxing. Then for whatever reason the same doc switched me to paxil and change the benzo to xanax. Unlike a lot of people I only used it as you did three times a day with lmg at sleep. For years it worked well. Then it began to make me tired instead of just relaxed. So I switched back to valium thinking it would relax me as it had in the past. Well it didn't and I'm not sure it works. Could I just be tolerant to benzos now. Any suggestions. Thanks, Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by rjlockhart on January 9, 2006, at 23:27:36
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum-Phillipa » valene, posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 22:31:31
I am going back to Ativan, it doesnt really have any effect on mood, that i know of. It just eases and relaxes.
The worst being Klonopin, not to put it down, it does ease worries at night, dulls them out which is really helpful sometimes, AT NIGHT. Not during the day, well moderate doseages.
Cheers
Posted by blueberry on January 10, 2006, at 6:32:28
In reply to The Benzo Spectrum, posted by rjlockhart on January 8, 2006, at 21:15:42
So I used ultra low dose xanax at a convention and it worked wonders. Relaxed, confident, comfortable, interested, motivated, and long standing depression just vanished. Not a high, not euphoria, not hypomania. Just purely normal. It was great. That was a week ago. Stopped xanax after that.
Yesterday I was feeling pretty depressed and avoidant. As a curious test, I took 1/4mg xanax. Within half an hour I was relaxed, comfortable, interested in what I was doing, sociable, and my depression lifted a lot.
I did some studying on it. Apparently in tests with rats and with humans, low dose xanax does indeed have a stimulatory yet relaxing effect rather than a dulling effect that occurs at higher doses.
Posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 17:38:30
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum, posted by blueberry on January 10, 2006, at 6:32:28
Blueberry I think it makes a big difference if you take them only occasionally. Then they work well. Unfortunately when I started a benzo it was in the 70's and they weren't Rx'd prn. So I've developed a tolerance I guess. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on January 10, 2006, at 18:24:29
In reply to Re: The Benzo Spectrum » blueberry, posted by Phillipa on January 10, 2006, at 17:38:30
Yeah I think you're right. I would like to take xanax on a regular schedule, but I'm so afraid the goodness of it would go away. For now, my doctor has told me to take 1/4mg twice or three times a day. But I think I'll hold off and use it less frequently.
> Blueberry I think it makes a big difference if you take them only occasionally. Then they work well. Unfortunately when I started a benzo it was in the 70's and they weren't Rx'd prn. So I've developed a tolerance I guess. Fondly, Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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